Rear Admiral Allen L. Powell,
Director of the National Ocean Survey, was born in Nacogdoches
County, Texas, the son of the late Joe Allen and Minnie LaRue
Powell. Most of his early years were spent in Lufkin, Texas, where
he graduated from high school. At the University of Texas his
major study was petroleum engineering; where he received the Bachelor
of Science Degree in 1938. Afterwards he worked with a paper mill
in the home town of Lufkin until going into the Coast and Geodetic
Survey in 1942 as a civilian employee. Two years later he joined
the Officer Corps. During the latter part of the World War II
he was transferred to the Department of Navy and served in the
Marine Corps as a Survey Officer, returning to the Coast and Geodetic
Survey in April 1947. For this service he received the Asiatic-Pacific
and Victory Medals.
During his nearly 37 years with the Coast and Geodetic Survey,
ESSA, and NOAA, his diversified assignments have included ship
board duty on the COWIE, LYDONIA, PARKER, BOWEN, STIRNI, PIONEER,
BOWIE, and EXPLORER. He spent 2-1/2 years with photogrammetric
field parties; a major 3-year assignment in geodesy was the
leadership of a special survey group at Patrick Air Force Base
(Cape Kennedy, Florida). This function was to make precise geodetic
measurements for the Air Force Missile Test Center. Here he
demonstrated great initiative and ingenuity in bringing about
increased accuracy for missile guidance. A particular achievement
was the designing of a tribrach for the Azusa Mark II Tracking
System so as to obtain the exceedingly fine adjustment required
for exact centering on target. This performance was recognized
by the award of the Department of Commerce's Silver Medal.
He returned to duty in Coast and Geodetic Survey Headquarters
in the fall of 1963, at which time he was assigned to the staff
overseeing vessel construction. Admiral Powell became deeply
involved in the design and building of NOAA's largest ships,
the OCEANOGRAPHER and the DISCOVERER, as well as a number of
smaller-class vessels. While in this assignment, he was awarded
the Department of Commerce's Gold Medal for leadership and development
of new concepts in the design of oceanographic and hydrographic
ships.
In December 1968, he was transferred to Norfolk, Virginia, to
head the Atlantic Marine Center and received the grade of Rear
Admiral (lower half). Here he was in charge of all activities
including the operation, maintenance, and repair of the NOAA
vessels operating from that center. In August 1971, he returned
to National Ocean Survey Headquarters to become Director of
the newly created Office of Fleet Operations, responsible for
the maintenance and operation of all NOAA vessels. In May 1972,
he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral (upper half) and
became Director of the National Ocean Survey. In June 1972,
he was appointed by the President to the Mississippi River Commission
which is advisory to the Army Corps of Engineers and concerned
with water flow, navigation, and flood control.
Among his professional activities, Admiral Powell is a member
of the Marine Technology Society, the Society of American Military
Engineers, the U.S. Naval Institute, the American Oceanic Organization,
and the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association. He
is a past member of the Oceanographic Ships Panel, Interagency
Committee on Oceanography.
Admiral Powell and his wife, the former Neta Menefee of Lufkin,
Texas reside in Vienna, Virginia. Their son, Allen, Jr. lives
in Moscow, Idaho, and a daughter, Mrs. Leilani Ann Grimm, in
Vienna, Virginia. Admiral Powell retired in August 1979, and
will return with his wife to Texas.
NOAA
CORPS BULLETIN, 8/1/1979
